Cycling is an excellent warm-weather activity because the relatively fast movement speed ensures an air-cooling effect. This is particularly important and much appreciated on hot and humid summer days. Of course, the faster movement speed enables you to cover many more miles and enjoy much more scenery than is possible during an equal time of walking or running.

Safe and sensible cycling does require compliance with some specific guidelines. These include:

Always wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet;

Using appropriate footwear such as pedal-securing bicycle shoes;

Wearing appropriate clothes such as bicycle shorts and bicycle gloves;

Carrying a water bottle on the bicycle frame;

Storing a few First Aid supplies and tube changing tools in the seatbag;

Cycling only during daylight hours;

Riding on the right side shoulder of streets and roadways with traffic;

Regarding the last recommendation, it is typically advantageous to ride with other cyclists. Small group rides provide an extra margin of safety by making cyclists more visible to motorists and providing assistance in the event of an accident. The social aspect is also a reinforcing aspect of group rides, but be sure to cycle with people of similar abilities to avoid stressful situations and pushing harder than you should.

Getting started

It is advantageous to purchase a well-designed and properly-fitted bicycle from an experienced cycle dealer. There are a number of biomechanical factors that need to be accommodated for effective and comfortable cycling. In addition to correct frame size, the distance from the seat to the pedals and the distance from the seat to the handlebars must be appropriate for your personal body dimensions. Although a good cycle may cost a few hundred dollars, when averaged over a 10-year period it is a very reasonable investment, similar to buying a new pair of running shoes every year.

Once you have your road bike, you should establish a progressive training program to enhance both your physical fitness and your cycling performance. I suggest starting with a relatively level out and back course between 6 and 8 miles in length. When this ride feels short and easy, progress to a 10-mile cycle with a few small hills. Once you can comfortably complete 12- to 16-mile rides, you are in a good training range.

I try to do two 16-mile solo rides during the week, and a longer cycle with friends on the weekend. Our weekend riding distance depends on the terrain. We cycle about 24 miles on our hilly courses or about 32 miles on our flat courses.

Although we typically ride at moderate speeds, we occasionally do some interval training to increase our physical fitness and cycling capacity. Our standard approach is to cycle a one- to two-mile stretch at a high effort level followed by the same distance at a low effort level for recovery. Depending on our motivation, we may perform two to four intervals during a given ride.

Page 2 of 2 - In addition to providing an excellent cardiovascular conditioning session, cycling offers a great workout for the hip and leg muscles. In fact, the lower back, torso, arm and neck muscles also attain a training effect by supporting the upper body throughout the ride.

This renders cycling a more comprehensive conditioning activity than running. Unlike running, cycling does not require muscular absorption of repetitive landing forces, thereby reducing the risk of certain overuse injuries.

Nonetheless, doing too much of any physical activity can be problematic so it is important to approach cycling in a safe and sensible manner, with gradual progressions to longer distances and faster speeds.

Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., teaches exercise science at Quincy College and consults for the South Shore YMCA. He has written 25 books on physical fitness.